Dan James goal delights Marcelo Bielsa but Leeds United coach looks deeper - Yorkshire Post 9/2/22

Marcelo Bielsa was delighted to see Daniel James score two centre-forward's goals in Leeds United's 3-3 draw at Aston Villa but stressed he does not need to find the net to play a valuable role for his team.

By Stuart Rayner

With Patrick Bamford still out with a hamstring injury, James was again asked to play as a makeshift No 9, a role the winger has not been used to at his previous clubs and at times does not look best suited to.

But at Villa Park he scored two poachers goal and hit the crossbar with a long-range effort in between as Leeds came from 3-1 down late in the first half to claim a well-deserved point.

Both his goals - and the shot against the woodwork - came in a pulsating first half of five goals. The game calmed after the break as both sides struck a more cautious approach.

"I'm very happy for him," said Bielsa. "I sincerely value the contribution he makes to our game. He scored, so it was a lot better. Even when he doesn't score he makes contributions to our offensive game."

The goals were the third and fourth of a Leeds career which began in August.

James linked up well with Rodrigo, who was lively playing deeper in a 4-1-4-1 formation.

It was perhaps the Spaniard's best performance for sometime, though his coach was reluctant to overplay it.

"To attack is very difficult, you could say it is the most difficult (thing) in football," he said. "It's difficult to play well in attack continuously. Normally the contributions even out.

"Sometimes one player stands out, other times another. It's normal in the offensive part of every team."

When Philippe Coutinho turned on the style and Villa responded to James's precise finish with three goals of their own - two by Jacob Ramsey - it looked to have won the game but Leeds refused to accept that.

Crucially, James headed in from almost on the line in first-half stoppage time and Diego Llorente equalised at a 63rd-minute corner.

"It was a game with alternate dominance with moments of good football from both teams," reflected Bielsa. "(It was) a second half that didn't stand out as much, it was very competitive.

"Perhaps we could've unbalanced (Villa more) in the second half. We created a few more chances and were in conditions to do so.

"What we wanted was to prevent them from creating danger but continue to attack with fluidity."

Villa manager Steven Gerrard said the 88th-minute sending off of Ezri Konsa, for a foul on James then an elbow on Illan Meslier as he tried to stop the Leeds goalkeeper releasing the ball, stopped his side "going for it" in what proved to be the final 10 minutes when time was added for stoppages.

The draw put Leeds level on points with Brentford, who have a superiour goal difference but have also played twice more. Dan James goal delights Marcelo Bielsa but Leeds United coach looks deeper